USB NetworkAdapter

Instant Ethernet Series

User Guide

COPYRIGHT & TRADEMARKS Copyright © 1999 Linksys, All Rights Reserved. Instant Ethernet isa registered trademark of Linksys. Microsoft, Windows, and theWindows logo are registered trademarks of Microsoft Corporation.All other trademarks and brand names are the property of theirrespective proprietors.

LIMITED WARRANTY Linksys guarantees that every USB Network Adapter is free fromphysical defects in material and workmanship under normal usefor one (1) year from the date of purchase. If the product provesdefective during this one year warranty period, call LinksysCustomer Support in order to obtain a Return Authorization num-ber. Warranty is for repair or replacement only. Linksys does notissue any refunds. BE SURE TO HAVE YOUR PROOF OF PUR-CHASE AND BAR CODE ON HAND WHEN CALLING. RETURNREQUESTS CANNOT BE PROCESSED WITHOUT PROOF OFPURCHASE AND BAR CODE. When returning a product, markthe Return Authorization number clearly on the outside of thepackage and include your original proof of purchase and bar code.

IN NO EVENT SHALL LINKSYS’ LIABILITY EXCEED THE PRICEPAID FOR THE PRODUCT FROM DIRECT, INDIRECT, SPECIAL,INCIDENTAL, OR CONSEQUENTIAL DAMAGES RESULTINGFROM THE USE OF THE PRODUCT, ITS ACCOMPANYINGSOFTWARE, OR ITS DOCUMENTATION. Linksys makes no war-ranty or representation, expressed, implied, or statutory, withrespect to its products or the contents or use of this documenta-tion and all accompanying software, and specifically disclaims itsquality, performance, merchantability, or fitness for any particularpurpose. Linksys reserves the right to revise or update its prod-ucts, software, or documentation without obligation to notify anyindividual or entity. Please direct all inquiries to:

Linksys P.O. Box 18558, Irvine, CA 92623.

FCC STATEMENT This equipment has been tested and found to comply with the lim-its for a Class B digital device, pursuant to Part 15 of the FCCRules. These limits are designed to provide reasonable protectionagainst harmful interference in a residential installation. Thisequipment generates, uses, and can radiate radio frequency ener-gy and, if not installed and used according to the instructions, maycause harmful interference to radio communications. However,there is no guarantee that interference will not occur in a particularinstallation. If this equipment does cause harmful interference toradio or television reception, which is found by turning the equip-ment off and on, the user is encouraged to try to correct the inter-ference by one or more of the following measures:

• Reorient or relocate the receiving antenna • Increase the separation between the equipment or device • Connect the equipment to an outlet other than the receiver’s • Consult a dealer or an experienced radio/TV technician for

assistance

903

ContentsIntroduction 1

About USB 2

Important Disclaimer 4

Hardware Setup 5

Windows 98 Setup 7File and Priner Sharing in Windows 98 13

Troubleshooting 16

Manually Installing NetworkComponents 21

Specifications 23

Customer Support 24

Notes 25

Contents

Introduction Congratulations on your purchase of the USBNetwork Adapter.

Now you can connect to any 10Mbps or 10Mbps/100Mbps hub without having to install any inter-nal cards or hardware! The USB Network Adapterfrom Linksys allows you to connect to a networkinstantly from a USB-enabled PC, notebook PC,or even a USB hub. The Plug-and-Play compatibledevice attaches to any Universal Serial Bus-enabled PC or hub via a USB Type B receptacle.Connect a standard Category 5 RJ-45 networkcable in the other end, install the included NDISdrivers, and go. You’ll be networked in no time!

The USB Network Adapter is bus-powered -- itdraws power from the host PC and requires noexternal power cords. The low 500mA maximumpower consumption rate is complimented by anenergy-saving auto-sleep function. Compatibilitywith Windows 98 makes it easy for almost anyonewith a USB-ready PC or notebook to connect to a10Mbps or 10/100 network. Use it in conjunctionwith a USB 4-Port Hub, (Model: USBHUB04)and you can operate up to four USB devicessimultaneously. The USB Network Adapter fea-tures an 8Mbps maximum throughput, easy-to-read LEDs, compact design, a 1-year limited war-ranty, and free world-class technical support -- allfor a low price that’ s hard to beat.

1

Introduction

Here are some of the features of the USB10T

• One B-type USB Port For a Standard USB cable• One RJ-45 10BaseT Port For a Straight-Through

Catagory 3 or 5 Cable• Fast 8Mbps Data Throughput with 6Mbps Burst

Transfer• Easy-to-Read Link and Activity LED Indicators• No External Power Supply Needed• Low Power Consumption Rate• Auto-Sleep Mode Conserves Power and

Notebook PC Battery Life• Compact Design -- Perfect for Use with Laptops

and Notebook PCs• Fully Compatible with any USB Hub • Plug-and-Play Compatible with Windows 98 for

Easy Installation• CE, FCC Class B Approved• Free Technical Support on the Phone and on the

Web• Free Software Upgrades• 1-Year Limited Warranty

About USB

USB, which is short for Universal Serial Bus, isa technology designed to make connecting devicesto computers easier. Originally developed in 1996by a group of computer industry leaders thatincluded Compaq, Digital, IBM, Intel, Microsoft,NEC, and Northern Telecom, USB is quicklybecoming the first choice for users who want toadd peripherals to their computers.

2

Introduction

USB is unique because it is Plug-and-Play, whichallows a computer to instantly recognize when adevice like a keyboard, mouse, or scanner hasbeen connected to it. Once the device has beenrecognized, it’s ready to go. No special setup isrequired. Similarly, USB supports hot swapping -- the insertion or removal of devices while thecomputer is turned on. You can swap one devicefor another without having to power down yoursystem or install any special software -- it really isthat easy.

Another unique USB feature is its ability to allowmultiple devices to be connected to a computer’ssingle USB port. When used in conjunction with aUSB Hub, like the Linksys USB 4-Port Hub, mul-tiple devices can operate simultaneously and inde-pendent of each other, allowing easy access to anenormous array of different devices at the sametime. Hubs and devices can be connected together-- you can connect up to 127 devices to a PC’sUSB port.

Some of the devices that USB supports includedigital cameras and scanners, joysticks, gamepads,keyboards, hard drives, mice, modems, phones,printers, speakers, and more.

3

About USB

IMPORTANT DISCLAIMER

In order to use this device, you must have a copyof Microsoft Windows 98 operating systeminstalled on your PC. Some versions of Windows95 version B (OSR2) support USB, but the devicedrivers included in this package are designedspecifically for Windows 98. If you do not haveWindows 98, this device will not work.

Also, the device requires that a USB port isinstalled and enabled on your PC. Some PCs havea USB port, but it is disabled. Usually there is atoggle switch on the motherboard or a menuoption in the BIOS that will enable a PC’s USBport. Consult your computer’s user guide.

Some motherboards have USB interfaces, but noports. You should be able to install your own USBport and attach it to your PC’s motherboard usinghardware purchased at any computer store.

4

Disclaimer

Hardware Setup Before installing the adapter, make sure you havereceived all of the following items. If any of theitems are damaged or missing, contact your ven-dor for replacements:

• USB Network Adapter• USB Cable• User Guide and Registration Card• Program Disk

After unpacking the adapter, follow the stepsbelow to complete the installation.

Connecting the USB Network Adapter

The USB Network Adapter comes with a USBcable. One end of the cable has a rectangular plug,which is called an A-type connector. The otherend of the cable has a square plug, or B-type con-nector.

The adapter has two ports. One is for RJ-45 UTPnetwork cabling -- it looks like and over-sizedphone jack. The other port looks like a square hole-- this is the USB B-type port.

1. Make sure your PC is powered on and that youare at the Windows 98 desktop.

2. Insert the cable’s square B-type plug into theadapter’s B-type port.

5

Hardware Setup

3. Insert the other end of the USB cable (the A-type connector) into the USB port on your PC.The adapter is now connected to your PC.

4. Connect your adapter to a 10Mbps or 10Mbps/100Mbps auto-sensing hub using Category 5 UTPRJ-45 straight-through cabling. The RJ-45 jacksshould fit into the RJ-45 port on both the adapterand the hub.

Note: Do NOT connect the USB Network Adapterdirectly to another network card or adapter.

Remember that a 10Mbps/100Mbps dual speednetwork always uses Category 5 Twisted PairRJ-45 cabling or better. Cables of lesser quatityand category will not work. Be sure that yourcables are free of defects and that they do notexceed 100 meters (328 feet) in length.

If you are connecting to a 10Mbps Ethernet, youcan use Category 3 cables instead. However, it isalways best to use Cat 5 Fast Ethernet cables sothat you won’t need to buy new cables when youupgrade to Fast Ethernet.

6

Hardware Setup

Windows 98 Setup

After installing the USB Network Adapter, followthe instructions below to install the adapter’s soft-ware.

1. Install the USB Network Adapter if you haven’talready.

2. Start up your computer and Windows 98.

3. At this point, Windows 98 should display a“New Hardware Found” window.

If the message is not displayed, and this is the firsttime that you are using the device, check to makesure that the USB port on your computer isenabled. Usually, there is a toggle switch on themotherboard of your PC or a setting option in thePC’s BIOS that turns the USB port on and off.

Consult your PC’s user guide to learn how toenable your computer’s USB port.

4. When you see the New Hardware Found mes-sage, continue on the step 5.

5. While the Update Device Driver Wizard win-dow is visible, put the USB Network Adapter pro-gram diskette into drive A and click on Next. Awindow will apear and ask you What would youlike Windows to do?

7

Windows 98

6. Select Search for the best driver for your device(Recommended). Click Next.

7. A window will appear asking Where would youlike Windows 98 to search for the driver? Makesure that Floppy disk drive is selected and that a:\is specified in the location window. Click Next tocontinue.

8. Windows will begin searching your drives forthe correct device drivers. If a message appearsthat reads Windows found the following updateddriver for this device, go to step 9.

If a window appears that reads Windows wasunable to locate the driver for this device, skip toproblem 2 of the Troubleshooting section.

9. After Windows detects the proper networkadapter device driver on the disk, click on theFinish button when it appears.

10. When the Insert Disk message appears, clickOK.

11. When the Copying Files... window appears,type a:\ into the box displayed and click OK. Notethat all of the files that Linksys provides beginwith the name USB10T. If at any time Windowsasks you to supply any other files, insert theWindows 98 CD-ROM or disks as needed, directWindows to the proper location, and click OK.

For example, if you have a Windows 98 CD-ROM,and it is located in drive D, you would typed:\win98 and press Enter when asked to supplythe path to the CD-ROM.

8

Windows 98

12. Windows will finish copying all the necessaryfiles to your system. When asked if you want torestart your computer, click No. This window maynot appear, depending on your computer’s config-uration. If it doesn’t, just move on to the next step.

13. Once you are back at the Windows 98 desktop,click on the Start button. Click on Settings, thenControl Panel.

14. Double-click on the Network icon. TheNetwork window will appear.

15. Click on the Configuration tab. Make surethat the following network components areinstalled:

9

Windows 98

Client for Microsoft Networks Client for Netware Network Linksys USB-Network AdapterIPX/SPX-compatible ProtocolNetBEUI

There may be other components listed in additionto the ones shown above. However, if any compo-nents shown above are missing, you’ll need toinstall them manually. Follow the instructions onpage 20.

16. In the Primary Network Logon box, selectClient for Microsoft Networks.

17. Click on the Identification tab.

10

Windows 98

Type the name of your PC in the Computer namebox. Make up a name that is unique from the othercomputers' names on the network. You can call itanything you’d like, (eg: Tardis, JoePC, etc.).

18. Type the name of your workgroup in theWorkgroup box. The name you type should bethe same workgroup name in use by all of theother PCs on the network. The Workgroup box iscase sensitive -- be sure to use the same case thatis in use on your other PCs.

19. Enter a description of your PC in theComputer Description box. This box is optional.

20. Click on the Access Control tab.

11

Windows 98

Make sure that Shared-level access control isselected. If the setting is on User-level access con-trol and you can’t change it, skip to problem 5 inthe Troubleshooting section.

21. Click on the OK button. Your system may ormay not ask you to insert your Windows 98 CD-ROM or Diskette. If it does, insert your disk intothe proper drive and direct Windows to it.

22. Once Windows is done copying the necessaryfiles, the System Settings Change windowappears. Remove all disks from your computerand click on Yes to restart your PC. If you don’tsee this window, simply close down Windows 98and restart your computer.

The driver installation is complete.

23. Once the computer has restarted and Windowsis up, a Logon window will appear requiring youto enter a username and password. Make up ausername and password, enter them, and clickOK.

Do not click the Cancel button, or you won’t beable to log onto the network. If the logon window does not appear or if it does not allow you to logon, refer to the problem number 3 in the trou-bleshooting section.

24. Once you are at the Windows 98 desktop, dou-ble-click on the Network Neighborhood icon.You should see the names of the other PCs on the

12

Windows 98

network that have enabled file and printer sharingWhen you’re finished, if you still need to set upfile and printer sharing so your PC shows up inNetwork Neighborhood, proceed to the EnablingFile & Printer Sharing section.

If you don’t see anything at all, press the F5 key afew times on your keyboard to refresh the screen.

If you only see your computer in NetworkNeighborhood, skip to problem 6 in theTroubleshooting section.

If you see all computers on the network exceptyours, and the other PCs can’t see your computer,see the Troubleshooting section.

Enabling File and Printer Sharing inWindows 98

File and printer sharing in Windows 98 allows youto share files or printers that are on your computerwith other PCs on the network. If you don't enablefile or printer sharing, your PC will be "invisible"to all of the other PCs on the network, (even your-self).

1. To set up sharing for the first time on a comput-er, click on Start, Settings, Control Panel, thendouble-click on Network.

Click on the Configuration tab, followed by theFile and Printer Sharing button. The File andPrinter Sharing window will appear.

13

Windows 98

If you’d like others to be able to access the files onyour PC’s hard drive, select I want to be able togive others access to my files. If you’d like toshare your printer with other users on the network,select I want to be able to allow others to print tomy printer. Click on the OK button. File andPrinter Sharing for Microsoft networks shouldnow appear in the list of installed components.Click OK. When asked to restart your PC, chooseto do so.

2. After following the preparation instructions,double-click on your My Computer icon. A win-dow of available disk drives will appear. Usingyour right mouse button, click once on the drive orfolder that you want to make available to otherusers. Click on Sharing, followed by the Sharingtab. Click on Share As. In the Share Name box,enter a name for the drive or folder you are shar-ing, (eg: C-Drive, CD-ROM, Leela, etc.).

Next, decide on the type of access that you wantto give other users:

· Read-Only access lets other users view the fileson your PC.

· Full access lets users create, change, or deletefiles on your PC.

· Depends on Password lets users have Read-Only and/or Full access, depending on the pass-word that you decide to give them.

Use your mouse to select the type of file sharingaccess that you want other users to have. If you

14

Windows 98

want to assign access password(s), type them intothe Password box(es).

3. When you're done, click on the Apply button,followed by OK. Your drive(s) or folder(s) cannow be accessed from other users whenever theyclick on their Windows Network Neighborhoodicons. If a user tries to access one of your drivesthat's password-protected, he or she will be askedfor the appropriate Read-Only or Full access pass-word.

4. To share your printer(s), double-click on yourMy Computer icon. Click on the Printers folder.A window of available printers will appear. Using your right mouse button, click once on the printerthat you want to share with other users. Click onSharing, followed by the Sharing tab. Click on Share As. In the Share Name box, give a name tothe printer you're about to share (Jack's HP4, forexample).

If you want to assign a password to the printer soonly certain users can access it, type a password inthe Password box. When you're done, click on theApply button, followed by OK.

Your printer(s) is now shared. When you're fin-ished, restart your PC, log into your network. Thesetup is complete.

Note: Some printers may not be networkable ormay require extra setup steps or software. Refer tothe printer’s user guide or contact the manufactur-er if you are unsure.

15

Windows 98

TroubleshootingTroubleshooting hints for Windows 98 can befound below. The USB10T is not compatible withany other operating system. Please see the dis-claimer on page 4.

Troubleshooting Hints for Windows 98

Problem 1: Windows 98 doesn’t detect new hard-ware with the USB Adapter hardware installed, orit continues to detect the adapter each time yourestart your PC.

Solutions You might not have installed the USB adapter cor-rectly. Check that the USB cable and RJ-45 cableare securely inserted into the appropriate ports.

You may have previously aborted a new hardwaresetup. Reinstall the hardware.

The motherboard in your system might not beUSB enabled, your PC’s USB settings may not beenabled, or the motherboard may have USBoptions not supported by Windows 98. Your PC’sUSB port may not be supplying the EthernetAdapter with a sufficient amount of power.

If you are not sure, consult your PC user guide orcontact your PC’s manufacturer.

16

Appendix

Problem 2: Windows 98 can’t locate the driver forthe USB Adapter device.

SolutionsYou may have inserted the wrong diskette intoyour PC’s drive.

The diskette may be defective or files may bemissing. Make sure the disk has files calledUSB10T.INF and USB10T.SYS on it.

Problem 3: The Windows Logon screen doesn’tappear after you restart your computer.

Solutions Click on Start, Logoff. If this doesn’t solve theproblem, your PC’s manufacturer may have dis-abled 98’s networking. Contact your computer’smanufacturer for help.

Problem 4: After entering a username and pass-word, a window appears that reads, “No DomainServer could be found to validate your Usernameand Password.”

SolutionClick on Start, Settings, Control Panel. Double-click on Network. Click on the Configurationtab. Under The Following Network Componentsare Installed box, highlight Client for MicrosoftNetworks and click on the Properties button.Once you are in the Client For MicrosoftNetworks Properties window, make sure that Logon to Windows NT Domain is Unchecked. Once

17

Appendix

you have made sure that it is Unchecked click onthe OK button.

Problem 5: On the Access Control Tab, User LevelAccess is selected, but Shared Level Access isgrayed out and not accessible.

SolutionsYou previously had your primary network logonset to Client for Netware Networks. On theConfiguration Tab of the Network Properties win-dow, make sure that your primary network logonis set to Client for Microsoft Networks.

Problem 6: In Network Neighborhood you canonly see your self and no other computers on thenetwork.

Solutions Make sure that the cables are connected correctly.Make sure you are getting Link or Activity lightson the USB adapter and a Link light on your hubor switch. If the lights are out, try changing to anew USB or RJ-45 cable that you know is work-ing.

Your hub must be a 10BaseT or 10/100 auto-sens-ing hub, or you must use a switch.

Your workgroup name may be different from othercomputers on your network. Make sure each PCon the network is using the same workgroupname.

18

Appendix

Problem 7: In Network Neighborhood, you can seeall other computers on the network but not your-self, and all other computers can see each otherand not your computer.

Solutions You may not have enabled File and PrinterSharing. Please see the File and Printer Sharingsection of guide.

The USB Adapter might not be setup properly. Tryreinstalling the adapter.

Problem 8: Network Neighborhood is Empty.

SolutionsVerify that your Microsoft Client is installed. Seethe Windows 98 setup instructions in this guidefor directions.

Problem 9: You receive DHCP Errors in 98.

Solutions Remove the TCP/IP component from Windows98’s networking. To do this, click on Start,Settings, Control Panel, then double-click onNetwork. Click once on the component entry withthe word TCP/IP in it, then click on the Removebutton. Click OK when finished. If the problempersists, contact your network administrator orrefer to your Windows 98 documentation. Linksysdoes not provide technical support for the installa-tion, setup, or troubleshooting of the TCP/IP pro-tocol.

19

Appendix

Problem 10: LEDs on the adapter flash back andforth in rhythm.

SolutionsDriver for the USB network adapter has not beeninstalled properly. You must re-install the drivers.

Problem 11: On some notebook PCs, the USBNetwork Adapter fails to configure correctly afterthe drivers have been loaded.

After loading the software drivers, it may be nec-essary to do the following:

1. Log off and unplug the device from your PC's USB port

2. Turn off your PC.

3. Plug the device back in and then reboot.

4. Log on as a different user after the PC reboots.

20

Appendix

Manually InstallingNetwork ComponentsThere may be times when you might need to man-ually install missing Windows 98 networking com-ponents.

1. Click on Start, Settings, then Control Panel.

2. Double-click the Network icon. The Networkwindow appears.

3. Click on the Configuration tab. Make sure thatthe following network components are installed:

Client for Microsoft NetworksClient for NetWare NetworkLinksys USB-Network AdapterIPX/SPX-compatible Protocol NetBEUI

There may be other components listed in additionto the ones shown above. If any of the above com-ponents are missing, add them as follows:

Client for Microsoft NetworksIf you plan on connecting to an NT file server orpeer-to-peer network, click on the Add button.Highlight Client and click on Add. In the NetworkClient box, highlight Client for MicrosoftNetworks and click OK.

Appendix

21

Client for Netware NetworksIf you plan on connecting to a Novell NetWareworkstation, click on the Add button. HighlightClient and click on Add. In the Network Clientwindow, select Manufacturer and chooseMicrosoft. Highlight Client for NetWare Networkson the right, then click OK.

IPX/SPX-compatible ProtocolClick on the Add button. Choose Protocol andclick on the Add button. Select Manufacturer andchoose Microsoft. Under the Network Protocolbox, highlight IPX/SPX-compatible protocol.Click OK. If you have a Dial-Up or AOL adapterinstalled, remove the IPX-SPX-Compatible proto-col for Dial-Up or AOL

NetBEUIClick on the Add button. Select Protocol, thenclick on Add. Under Manufacturer, chooseMicrosoft. Under Network Protocol, highlightNetBEUI. Click OK. If you have a Dial-Upadapter installed, remove the NetBEUI for Dial-UpAdpater protocol.

4. If you were referred to this section by theWindows setup instructions, please return to thesetup now on page 7 and continue following theinstructions.

Note: For the installation, setup, and troubleshoot-ing of the TCP/IP protocol, contact your systemadministrator or refer to your Windows 98 docu-mentation. Linksys does not provide technicalsupport for the TCP/IP protocol.

22

Appendix

SpecificationsStandards ISO8802/3, IEEE 802.3

(10BaseT), USB Spec. v 1.0

Transfer Rate 10BaseT Half Duplex 8Mbps

LEDs Link, Activity

Ports 1 USB Type B port1 10BaseT RJ-45 port

Cabling

Network UTP/STP Category 3 or 5100 Meters (328 feet) Max.

USB Standard Shielded USB Cable5 Meters (16.4 feet) Max.

Power 5V Bus Powered from USB Host Controller or Hub

Buffer 32Kb

Certification FCC Class A & CE

Dimensions 3.2” x 2.1” x 1.0”

Weight 2.0 oz.

23

Specifications

Customer SupportFor help with the installation or operation of yourUSB Network Adapter, contact Linksys CustomerSupport at one of the phone numbers or Internetaddresses below.

Customer Support 949-261-1288Fax 949-261-8868Bulletin Board 949-261-2888

(33.6, 8-N-1)Email support@linksys.comWeb http://www.linksys.comFTP Site ftp.linksys.com

24

Support

25

Notes

© Copyright 1999 Linksys, All Rights Reserved.Printed in the USA.

ht tp : / /www. l inksys.com